Edge of Adulthood
by AlexACheevy
Summary: Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern are experience their senior year of high school.  Gordie has doubts about how strong their friendship will remain as school is coming to a close and girls begin to come between them.
1. Senior Year

He had been waiting for his senior year since he had began high school, but now that it was here, Gordie felt more nervous than excited. He only had one year left in Castle Rock. One year left in the place that was home, no matter how many times he would have traded anything to get out of it. It was a place that was familiar. He knew the stores and the people and the names of the streets. The summer heat had not yet faded away, although the school calendar said that summer was over today. He was walking to school, he backpack heavy with all of his new supplies. He didn't have a car. His father had promised to "help him out" once he had graduated school. Gordie didn't know how much help he would get, but he had a hefty sum saved up from mowing lawns and working afternoons and weekends at the local grocery store regardless.

He looked up ahead and saw a familiar figure walking in the same direction. He called out to Chris so that he would slow down and they could walk together. When he caught up, he gave Chris a nervous smile. "You ready? Senior year.." Chris seemed a little nervous himself. They had already compared schedules and had most of the same classes. Chris had gotten a much better grip on the college material he was learning since freshman year, but he still relied heavily on Gordie for tutoring. Gordie didn't mind, he was glad to see his friend succeed.

"I don't know." Gordie answer honestly. They walked on, silently. A slight melancholy hung over them like a gloomy rain cloud. Deep down, Gordie was wondering if Chris would still be his friend when they went their separate ways next fall. Chris was wondering similar thoughts.

As the school came into vision, Gordie began to think about something else. He had begun a mild flirtation in algebra class before school had ended the previous year with a girl named Becky Scott. He had only seen her a handful of times since school had let out and he wondered if there would still be something there, or if she had forgotten about him entirely. He had only had one girlfriend in his high school career and it was casual and hadn't lasted long. No feelings were bruised when they separated, but Gordie did long for a girlfriend, especially since this was his last year. Chris had not had any easier of a time in the female department. He was good looking and serious, so he caught a lot of girl's attention. But a boy with the last name of Chambers who showed up to class in a leather motorcycle jacket and always sat in the back row was not something any of the girls in the college courses ever dared to pursue seriously. He had fooled around a few times with one of his co-workers, but he harbored no real feelings for her. He had enough on his mind with classes, anyway.

It wasn't time for class to start yet, so the two boys sat on the ledge outside of the school and smoked their cigarettes. Teddy and Vern began to loudly walk toward them. It was true, that the foursome didn't spend much time together anymore. It was difficult with the different class schedules, but for the most part, they made time. "Gimme one a those, Chambers." Teddy demanded as he snaked a cigarette out of Chris's pack. "Hey, have you guys seen Katherine Taylor yet? Big tits this year. Huge. She must've worked on them all summer." Vern beamed. Chris and Gordie rolled their eyes at each other. It was as though Teddy and Vern were still twelve, while the other two boys had continued on the journey to adulthood. Gordie had to admit thought, their youthful banter was often welcome when he was in a bad mood. It was difficult not to be taken back to an innocent age when they were around. "Yeah, almost as good as your mother's." Teddy said nonchalantly. He didn't even flinch were Vern drove his fist into his arm in retaliation.

The first bell rang, and they all stubbed out their smokes and shuffled inside. Another summer had come to an end, and another school year had begun. Their last.


	2. Madeline

Teddy stayed behind as the other boys shuffled in. He waved Gordie off when he asked if he was coming. He knew no one ever did anything on the first day, and he wasn't in any hurry to get to class. Besides, he knew someone else would be arriving late, as she did almost every day in her school career, and he wanted to catch her.

He had been pining over a girl named Madeline Socia since he first saw her two years ago. She was cool. She smoked and drank and listened to rock n roll. Teddy had never actually spoken to her, however. He knew that today was the day he would make his move. He would be eighteen in three months; he was practically a grown man. He lit a new cigarette and waited for her.

Chris bit the inside of his cheeks, trying to focus on what the teacher was saying in his first class. Gordie had told him a joke right before the last bell had rung and he couldn't get it off of his mind. He couldn't even look at his friend. He knew that was all it would take to cause his laughter to take control of him. He let a little whine as he desperately tried to contain himself. Now that he was actually here, most of the nervousness he had felt this morning was gone. He saw Gordie lay his head down on his desk out of the corner of his eye. It seemed he wasn't the only one having trouble controlling himself. He was going to miss Gordie when they both left for separate colleges in the fall, that he was positive of. He couldn't remember the last time they had gotten the giggles like this. He felt like he was ten years old.

Vern looked at the empty seat next to him, wondering if Teddy was ever going to decide to come in. He was probably out there waiting for that stupid girl. He picked at his finger nails, irritated. He couldn't wait to get out of school. He was already engaged to his girlfriend, Flora, and he still hadn't decided whether or not he would bother graduating. So far, Teddy had talked him into staying, but he sure wouldn't bother if Teddy was going to be spending all of his time chasing girls outside.

Madeline didn't know what time it was, only that she was late. She didn't care, really, but she had promised herself to try a little harder her last year. It was 1966 and the generation that she was a part of was just beginning to develop some revolutionary thoughts. She had not yet decided which of these ideas she believed, but she did know that she did not want to be like her parents. She walked slowly towards the school building, fidgeting with her hair. "Hey." She heard a voice she didn't recognize call out to her. She looked around a saw a boy with thick Buddy Holly glasses sitting on the ledge. He drew on a cigarette and let one leg dangle freely as he sat. "Hey.." She returned, confused. She didn't recall ever seeing this boy before.

"Want to walk in together?" He asked her. She shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know what to think about this odd boy. "I'm Teddy Duchamp," he said. "Madeline," she answered, mostly just to be polite. He talked to her as they walked through the hallways, not about anything in particular. At some point she realized that she was enjoying herself and that she had no idea where they were walking to. They had passed her first class quite some time ago and she had made no move to depart from her company. He smiled at her and asked, "You wanna get out of here?" She said that she did and they skipped out of their first day of senior year. So much for trying harder, she thought to herself.

**A/N: This is my first story about the younger boys, so any feedback would be appreciated. **


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